Grave covering



June 15 1926. 1,588,430

R. H. WAKEMAN GRAVE COVERIN F l p 5,' 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJune 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES ROSS H. WAKEIIIAN, F BRADENTOWVN, FLORIDA.

GRAVE COVERING. I

Application filed September 3,1925. Serial No. 54,351.

This invention relates to covers especially adapted for use inconnection with casket lowering devices.

Briefly stated, an important object of the invention is to provide agrave cover which is moved to an operative position over the grave andthe casket solely by the weight of the casket and which effectivelyconceals the casket to lessen the unpleasantness of a burial.

A further and equally. important object is to provide a grave coverwhich maybe employed in'connection' with a conventional casket loweringdevice and which not in any way interferes with the freedom of movementof the pallbearers in placing the casket on the straps of the loweringdevice.

Also an aim of the invention is to provide a grave cover which is ofhighly simplified construction and comparatively cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved grave covering attachmentready for use;

i Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same in open position Fig. 3 is avertical transverse sectional view-through the improved grave coveringattachment in open position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 4--4 ofFig. 1.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the'numeral 5 designates a casketlowering apparatus of conventional design and which is provided withparallel longitudinal rotatable bars 6, about w" ich the casket loweringstraps 7 are trained. When the releasing device 8 is actuated the casketmounted on the two straps 7 'is gradually lowered under the influence ofits own weight and the weight of the contents thereof. It is adistressing sight to the mourners and others to observe the casketgradually descending into the grave and to avoid this it is proposed toprovide a means whereby a covering is extendedover the grave to concealthe lowering operation.

The improved covering mechanism com-i; prises a frame 10 of the sameoutline as the acts as a protecting means for the ribs.

lowering apparatus as suggested in Figs. 1 and 2 and by reference tothese figures it will be seen that the frame supports the lower1ngapparatus a slight distance above the grave. The ends of the frame orbase memher are provided with pairs of recesses 11 as shown in Fig. 3and supporting ribs 12 are pivoted to the walls of the recesses 11 asshown at 14. The ribs 12 which may be of any suitable material havetheir upper ends connected to flexible strips or webbing 15 and theinnermost ribs 12 have connection with one of the strips 16 of aflexible cover or screen 1.7. A second webbing or .flexible strip 18 isarranged 'outwardly of the strip 15 and has connection with thelongitudinal strips 16, all of which is shown in Fig. The longitudinalstrips 16 when swung to operative position support the screen or cover17 to give the grave the form of a mound.

lVhen the grave cover is in open position the ribs 12 will be partlypositioned in the recesses 11 andwill be approximately flush with thetop of the frame whereby the frame this connection it is also pointedout that when the grave cover ism open position the longltudmal supports16 will be approx .imately flush with the top of the frame whereby thepallbearers and others may;

walk upon the supporting strips and the In fact the frame without damagethereto. covering 17 whichis preferably in the na ture of a rafiia rugextends over and protects the strips 16 against damage. 1

It will be seen that the flexible covering 17 at each side of theimproved grave cover moves away from the supporting ribs 12 when thegrave cover is in an open position so as to permit theribs tomove to thefullest extent possible into the recesses 11.

The ends of the innermost strips 16 have detachable connection throughthe medium of hooks 20 with cover drawing strips or webbing 24 and thewebbing 24 is trained about the rotatable bars 6 in directions oppositethe direction of winding of the casket supporting straps 7. Thisarrangement results in the winding of the cover drawing members 24 onthe bars as the casket is being lowered.

It will, therefore, be seen that as the casket is lowered into the raveu11de1' its own weight the cover will e gradually brougl1t into positionto conceal the casket and form burial,

said c'ollapsible' a temporary mound over tie same When the casketreaches imposition approximately flush with the ground, the cover willbe en tirely closed and the undertaker imay by operating the lever 8stop further descent of the casket. However, this halt in the descent ofthe casket is only ten'iporary and is continued after the mourners haveleft thescene. It will be readily appreciated that the use of thisinvention in connection with a casket lowering apparatus will avoid muchof the unpleasantness ordnarily resulting from the more or less slow andplainly visible descent of the casket into the 01 en gravep V-Jhen it isdesired to complctethe introduction of the casket, into the grave, thehooks 20 are released and the cover ill drop to open position by'itsownweight, This inakes it' possible for the undertaker to supervise andobserve the completion of the The einployment of the improved gravecovering attachment will not in any way interfere with. the casketlowering mechanism andmay be employed iinconjunction with the casketlowering mechanism to avoid unpleasantness and thereby greatly expeditethe work of the undertaker.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: I

, 1. The combination with =a'caskctlowering device having v rotatablestrap supporting bars, of straps trained about said bars, andcollapsible grave covers having detachable connection with said strapsand adapted to be openedby saidstraps.

The combination with a casket lowering device having rotatable strapsupporting bars, of straps trained aoout said bars, collapsible gravecovers having detajchable connection With-said straps and adapted to beopened by the same, and a framesnpporting said casketklo wering deviceand having means to partially receivo and protect rave covers.

3. The combination with a 'casketlowering device having rotatable strapsupporting U bars, of straps trained about said bars, grave covershaving detachableconnection with said straps, and a "frame supportingsaid casliietdow-ering device and having meansto partially receivefiandprotect said grave covers, said COVtErS being collapsible and beingpositioned a i noximately withthe'upperside o tsaid fraine whenopen,whereby the"frame protects the-covers from injury by the-pallbearers.

4i. An apparatus {of the character specified--- comprising av framehaving recesses,- radial members plvotally"associated with said frameand adapted to be received in said recesses and protected by the wallsof the same, flexible connecting strips secured to said'radial members,flexible covers extended ot er said connecting strips, and casketoperated means for moving said connecting strips and the flexible coversto open position over a casket wherebysaid covers will conceal thecasket.

5. The con'ibination with a casketlowering apparatus having rotatablebars, of flexible members trainee about said bars and having hooks,collapsible frames arranged at opposite sides of said bars and engagedby said hooks,-and a collapsible flexible cover connected to saidcollapsible members and adapted to be opened to extend over the casketloii' ering apparatus-- to conceal the grave and the cached 7 6. Thecombination with a casket loweringapparatus having rotatable bars, offlexible members trained about said- -bars and having hooks, collapsibleframes arranged at opposite; sideso't said bars and engaged bysaidhooks, a collapsible flexible cover connected to saidcollapsible-members and adapted to be opened'to extend-over the 1 casketlowerin amaratus to conceal the graveand'the casket, and a trame movablysupporting said collapsible members and having rec sses to partlyreceive the same.

7. A grave cover comprising a frame having recesses, ribs pivotallyassociated with said frame, connecting strips secured to said:

ribs, flexible covers attending over said con necting strips andadaptedto be positioned at opposite sides of a grave,- and casketoperated means detachably connected to said strips to' draw the sameinwardlybver a casket -whereby the covers are positionedover the casketto concealthe lowering operation, said ribs being adapted to be receivedin said recesscs.-

8. The comb nation with a min -oi a casket-;lowering apparatus mountedon the frameand iaving yrotatable bars, straps rained about said liars,r-ibs' pivotally asso-.

mated with said frame and positioned adjas cent opposite endso't thesanie,-supporting. strips connected to said ribs,and-separate to bedrawn over aycaskehto'concealithe covers extendedover lid-strips andadaptedv lowering of thecasket, said strapshaving r detachableeonnection with certain 01 said strips,

In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature, 1: RUSS H WAKENH N

